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Touch football game could cost rec commission thousands in repairs

By Staff Report - | Oct 18, 2007

A Wednesday afternoon touch football game at Chieftain Park has left the west end of the soccer field in shambles and could force the cancellation of any upcoming soccer games this season.

Tonganoxie Recreation Commission director Gayle Parker was assessing the damage Thursday morning. He said the people who were playing the game for more than two hours — as rain fell Wednesday afternoon — could cost the TRC thousands of dollars in sod repair. Surveillance tape indicated that the game started about 3:30 p.m.

Parker said he estimated that roughly 10 people were playing touch football near the west goal, using the penalty box as an out-of-bounds line, as well as the sideline and baseline behind the goal. The indentities of the people, whom Parker thought were high school-aged based on the security tape, are unknown. Parker first learned of the damage Wednesday when the mother of a Tonganoxie High School soccer player drove by. The parent was unable to stop at the field because of a prior commitment.

Although the identities of the people who played touch football are unknown, Parker said he is reviewing serveillance footage from four cameras the TRC has at the park.

Parker also urged citizens to contact the rec commission at (913) 845-3502 if they have information regarding the situation.

“Any help from the public would be appreciated,” Parker said.

In addition, TRC maintenance director Russ Kimberlin said that Thursday morning he found substance from a fire extinguisher discharged in the women’s bathroom at the park, as well as on the sidewalk near the soccer field. He also said that a fire extinguisher had been discharged Oct. 11 in the bathroom. The TRC bathrooms aren’t publicly equipped with fire extinguishers, so whoever used extinguishers brought their own, Kimberlin said.